Portable handheld electronic devices, such as smart phones and tablets, may have an array of functionality including wireless communication, Global Positioning System (GPS), a gyro sensor and a camera. The functionality is accessed via an operating system of the device, however also apps (application software), installed on the device may utilise the functionality of the device through the operating system. For example, a route planner in the form of an app may access the GPS in order to alleviate the user of having to manually put in their location.
A portable handheld electronic device further comprises a screen for displaying a user interface. The display may be a touchscreen through which a user can give input or control the information processing system through simple or multi-touching gestures by touching the screen. The user can use the touch screen to react to what is displayed and to control how it is displayed. For example, when viewing a map, a user may zoom in on the map by performing a reverse pinching gesture on the screen.
The interaction between such a device and a user is mostly realized through the touchscreen and so it is important that the user interface displayed on the touch screen is intuitive. Furthermore, with the continuously increasing functionality of smart phones and tablets, their increasing use will result in higher consumption of energy and depletion of the battery. Therefore, there is a desire to control or reduce the amount of energy required by the device to perform an operation in response to a user input.